Rejecting then Accepting
by darkmist111
Summary: An attempt to soothe the pain dealt by his alter ego Chat visits Marinette revealing more to her a side even Ladybug hasn't seen.


**Rejecting then Accepting**

Adrien was not a people person. I think that could be said for both sides of his identity.

On one side he was the most popular teen idol in France and most of Europe. Yet while he was liked in his own class he wasn't popular outside his best friend. On his dark side he was a defender of Paris yet to most he was seen as comic relief and a sidekick. To add insult to injury his more popular half was the carefully crafted and sanitized Adrien while the leather clad tease was more the real him than anything in his '_normal_' Life.

Suffice to say, if it seemed like he had a lot of self confidence that was completely fabricated. That being said it didn't bother Adrien that much since he'd rather have a few meaningful relationships than millions of fans. Except that when one of those few close relationships did end up damaged it hurt far more than a publicity flop ever could.

Marinette on the other hand was the opposite of him. He may have been famous but she was popular. People genuinely liked her and she inspired loyalty. She always tried to fix problems even if she didn't think things through. Even Chloé respected her in her own Chloé way. She only hated people she saw as her equal.(Which was depressing when he thought about their own relationship) He was being genuine when he said he was their everyday ladybug.

Which made things worse when he hurt her or didn't get along with her. He didn't get off to the best start in the first place.(Thanks Chloé) But after he explained himself he'd hoped they could improve their relationship. And it did if you consider going from animosity to barely on speaking terms an improvement. From there their relationship went up and down like a heart monitor. On some days they could hang out or even work together. On others it seem like being around him was as pleasant as being covered in ants. This however lead to his crowning moment of social suicide with today's little prank.

Despite Natalie doing him a major favor he'd still managed to ruin the day for Marinette. Not that Nino was helping at all. Seriously why did everyone have to speak in riddles when in came to Marinette? He knew she was popular but he didn't think she had her own language. Still the entire thing suggested that Marinette didn't like Adrien or at least didn't enjoy his company. Which he had to admit hurt a little more than he expected. So naturally to get into Marinette good graces he decided to play a prank on her with predictable if not expected results. On the limo ride home he attempted to salvage what little dredges of friendship he could from the entire fiasco. It seemed to work until of course he said something that turned out to be a landmine. He'd gone through their conversation dozens of times in his head searching for something he'd said that offended her.

Unfortunately he hadn't gained any social skills on the limo ride home so he remained clueless.

Thus he found himself leaping across buildings as Chat Noir just after the sun had set in an attempt to rectify some of the damage he'd done the other day. While the probability of Adrien being able to talk to Marinette was iffy on a good day Chat Noir held no such problem. Despite being a anonymous teenager boy in a admittedly kinky costume with the ability to turn anything he touched to dust Marinette felt more at ease around him they she ever had around Adrien.

A fact that a normal person might have found insulting if not for the fact that that meant Marinette actual liked the real him at least as a friend. He'd realized a couple days after the whole Weredad Fiasco that a sudden out of nowhere confession was a known panic cover(Thanks Reddit) Girls used it to through off hormonal teenage boys from finding out something they weren't supposed to. Also that fake heart break act was bad enough even he could tell something was wrong.

So here he was sneaking his way to a girl's roof in a attempt to repair the damage his other half caused.

Was it manipulative?

Probably.

But right now he was feeling enough guilt he'd steal the Mona Lisa for her if he'd thought it help fix things. He landed on the roof across from the Dupain-Chang bakery and silently thanked that his bad luck had finally decided to take a break. Marinette was standing on her balcony tending to her plants. Chat super jumped over landing on her railing just within her sight range.

"Chat Noir?" The fashion designer seemed more perplexed than alarmed at the Cat themed super hero's sudden arrival.

"A sweet tooth and a green thumb, any other talented body parts you wanna tell me about princess?"

She rolled her eyes in that not quite annoyed but clearly not impressed way that the blunette shared with his Lady.

"What are you doing her kitty?"

"I wanted to check on my number one fan after they had another near Akuma attack."

Marinette slumped leaning on the railing.

"As good as can be considering it was my fault. It's almost impressive to be such a bad baby sitter that the kid your supposed to be taking care of gets turned evil."

"Hey come on that's on Hawkmoth not you. Besides at this point everyone's been responsible for an Akuma at least once."

Marinette looked up.

"You think so?"

"I know so, heck I've even seen my Lady be the cause of some Akuma."

Chat looked at the sky fantasizing his love's face.

"And if someone as amazing as her can mess up than you shoul-"

Chat turned back to Marinette when he heard her head clunk against the railing in exaggerated motion of shame.

'_What? Don't tell me I put my foot in my mouth again? What did I say this time?_'

"S-so it seems like you got more bothering you than a unhappy kid. You wanna vent?"

Marinette raised her head and bit her lip that way she did when she was weighing her options.

"I'm just having a rough time... with the boy I like."

Chat smirked.

"I thought I was the boy you liked? Don't tell me I've been hurting you princess."

Marinette looked alarmed then embarrassed, then squawked like a parrot, before babbling four different explanations at once.

"Whoa ease up their princess, I'm just messing with you, I figured out you were just trying to throw me off."

"You- ... sorry I dragged you through all that."

"It's cool I know better than anyone to respect people's secrets."

Marinette gave a small smile both of them looking out over the city lights falling into a comfortable silence.

"So what's up with the boy? He ditch you again?"

"No" Marinette sighed. "I just realized he's in love with someone else."

Ouch that hit a little close to home for Chat.

"Yikes that sucks, and I would know. But still they're not together yet right? That mean you gotta chance. They can't say no forever."

'_I hope_'

"He didn't say no, I doubt he's even realized I like him."

Chat Noir felt his brain gears grind to a halt.

"What? How can he not realize? Does he have short term memory lose or something?"

Marinette looked at him like he'd just turned purple.

"No? I haven't told him yet."

Chat sputtered incoherently.

"What do you mean you haven't told him? Guys are stupid they won't get what you mean unless you spell it out for them! And even then it might take a few times!"

Marinette looked blindsided clearly not prepared to have to defend her relationship strategy tonight.

"Now wait a minute people don't need be so blunt with their feelings."

"I spent half a year confessing to Ladybug and she thought I was joking!"

Marinette closed her mouth with a click swallowing whatever retort she was about to make.

"Marinette why are you stalling! You happiness could be just three words away!"

"Because... because..."

Marinette looked down suddenly looking like she wanted to crawl in a hole.

"What if he says no."

Chat looked a Marinette and felt understanding. Putting yourself out there and confessing was basically asking something to play William Tell with your self worth. If Chat were someone else he'd give her a few word of encouragement and tell her to confess at her own pace.

Instead something else came out of his mouth.

"Ooooohhhh Nooooo" Chat drawled in the most sarcastic and unsympathetic tone of voice he'd heard himself speak.

"Wha-Chat!" Marinette looked outraged her cheeks so red with both anger and embarrassment they practically glowed.

"Can you imagine telling the one you love how you feel and having them reject you?"

Chat spread his arms in an exaggerated motion.

"Then you'd feel worthless! You'd probably give up or worse you tell them you love them again! And again and again. Then you'd tell them on TV or during a interview and have them reject you publicly! Then you'd take a bullet for them and they'd save you making you think just maybe they feel the same as you only for them to reject you again! Then you'd put together a whole date that they don't even show up to! Then when they finally do show up they tell you they're in love with someone else! Not dating just in love with! Then you try to ask them again since they haven't gotten together with this awesome person but they still say no because they'd rather wait for someone else than be with someone who loves them right now! That'd absolutely suck wouldn't! I can't even imagine!"

Marinette look shell shocked clearly trying to recover from the verbal beat down. Chat Noir suddenly felt like he was dunked in water. Idiot! He was supposed to be cheering her up not ranting about his own love problem!

"L-look I'm sorry I didn't mean-"

"No your right."

Marinette looked straight ahead with a sigh.

"I didn't even consider that you've been rejected more times than I can even count, while I haven't even tried."

They fell into a heavy silence each trying to think of what to say to the other.

"How do you do it? Keeping on trying after you hearts get broken?"

Chat paused then leaned back so that he was hanging upside down on the railing.

"It's not easy but it help that we're friend. I at least know she doesn't hate me. But some days it really hurts. I think that maybe their's something wrong with me. Maybe she doesn't think I'm good enough, maybe I'm not good enough."

"That's not true!" Marinette yelled with surprising intensity. "She-she probably just doesn't want to have relationship in the mask... you know, be a couple without being honest or something..."

Chat thought even Marinette knew that sounded like an excuse.

"Thanks but there's only the person in the mask. If she doesn't want Chat then she'd only get a fake." Chat grimaced.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Chat lifted himself so that he was sitting on the railing. He rubbed his knees nervously.

"My family is kinda strict. I've been home schooled almost all my life and constantly told to "Keep a presentable image" or "Don't do anything to lower your appeal" even when no ones watching me I feel like a can't be myself. I only got to be free when I got the miraculous. So when Chat Noir is rejected... it feels like I'm being told that I'm better as a dress up doll."

Marinette looked at Chat hand to her mouth and eyes wide and shining with sympathy.

"Chat... I'm so sorry I didn't know."

"Well... it's not like your responsible." Chat shook his head his hair dancing to and fro. "Enough about me, did you at least try the direct approach."

"Well I have but every time I get close I say something stupid which makes me panic and makes me say even more stupid things and then I trip over myself which probably knocks something over which I have to fix. I'm a mess."

Chat Noir chuckled.

"Just talk to him like normal, if you like him that much he should be willing to listen."

"That is how I normally talk to him." Marinette deadpanned.

Chat blinked.

"You said you loved this guy."

"Yeah..."

"How can you love someone you can't even talk too?"

"Wha-of course I love him!" Marinette said looking indignant.

"Kay what do you love about him?"

Marinette adopted a day dreamers look and she held her face in her hands.

"He's just so perfect! He gets good grades! He's young but he's got a great job! He's rich but he's so humble, he's always so polite and-"

Chat held up a hand.

"Let me stop you right there. That's not love."

"What?! Yes it is!"

"No it isn't."

"Yes it is!"

"Have your parents ever talked about each other like that?"

Marinette looked like she was about to snap back yes but halted herself to think about it before looking to the side in a huff.

"Well it's different."

"Yeah because you parents love each other while you just idolize this guy."

Marinette huffed and pouted a look so cute that Chat couldn't help but smile.

"Okay mister what makes you any better? At least I know who I love! You say your in love with Ladybug but you've never even seen her face!"

Chat looked out at the city a with sad smile.

"... You wanna know why I love Ladybug?"

Marinette blinked in surprise but nodded.

"I could list a thousand things about her that I love, her intelligence, her kindness, her sense of justice. But that wouldn't be the real reason. We I meet her it was like I'd just found a piece of myself that'd I'd been missing my entire life and didn't realize it. I can't describe it but I only feel whole when I'm with her. Like I can be the real me without the rest of the world weighing me down. I love her because every moment I spend with her is real."

Marinette looked like she did the first time they'd met on the balcony. Like she was seeing Chat for the first time.

"Wow Chat that was beautiful."

"Not just a pretty face huh?" Chat said waggling his brows.

"And you ruined it."

Marinette deadpanned so hard that Chat felt like it could be used as a WMS. Weapon of Mass Sarcasm. The two broke out into a fit of giggles.

"Look your problem is your building this guy in your head to be some Adonis. If you do that of course your gonna freak. You need to build a normal relationship first before you through the romance stuff at him."

Marinette adopted a thinking pose.

"And how would you do that oh master of the heart?"

"Well I usually try to ease in with some levity. Witty banter, crack a few jokes-"

"No Jokes!" Marinette cried with the same urgency a policeman would say 'Freeze'!

"Um right."

Marinette paused and took a deep breath.

"Chat... thanks for this. I really needed someone in my corner right now."

Chat smiled and though he tried to muffle it felt his chest purr at the praise.

"Of course! Anytime Princess."

Chat stood up on the railing a stretched his arms over his head.

"Well I think I've kept you long enough. Super heroes need their cat naps too."

Chat made to jump but felt a hand on his foot. He turned to find Marinette bashfully holding the back of Chat's boot.

"You know I don't really have anyone to talk to about this whole in unrequited love stuff. You think maybe you can stop be again? Maybe feel less crappy together?"

Chat felt his cat ears stick up in excitement.

"Yes absolutely! That'd be amazing!"

"Really?"

"Of course you your..."

Suddenly shy Chat looked down.

"I don't really have many people who know the real me."

Marinette smiled in a way so similar to Ladybug that Chat couldn't help but purr.

"Trust me Chat I think the real you is great."

Chat felt like he would burst from happiness. How long had he wanted to her those words? And yet Marinette gave them so freely not knowing how important it was to him.

"Until next time princess."

Chat vaulted into the night sky letting out a jubilant cry when he was sure he was far enough away from Marinette.

He was going to hang out with Marinette! Not some forced social gathering or some class trip where they were forced together. Marinette Dupain-Chang wanted to willing spend time with him! True she didn't know he was Adrien but that honestly made it better! For once someone actively preferred the real him over his manufactured persona. He went to Marinette do damage control but left feel better than he had in ages. For once he was good enough for someone.

Now he just had to make sure he doesn't screw it up.


End file.
